Results 3,341-3,360 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: I note to Deputy Calleary that some people, albeit not him, misunderstand that the €100,000 funding is provided, not to carry out repairs and so on, but rather to allow local authorities to work with communities, chambers of commerce and community groups. I am asking them to look at how we can get people back living in towns and villages. Deputy Calleary noted the level of vacant...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Urban Renewal Schemes (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: In 2019 my Department is providing €6.5 million towards the regeneration of the Dublin's north-east inner city. This investment will benefit not only the local community but the city as a whole. It shows the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the recommendations of the Mulvey report are implemented. The funding provided by my Department supports initiatives which are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Urban Renewal Schemes (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy for his comments. I accept what he has said. There are many areas outside Dublin that could do with more funding to address disadvantage. What is happening is working very well. The task force is working on implementing the recommendations of the Mulvey report. It meets regularly and responds to Government. I have been to some of these places in Dublin's inner city....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: It should be noted that preparations for all the various Brexit scenarios are being led at Government level by my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Coveney. The Government's planning for Brexit was initiated in advance of the UK referendum in June 2016. My Department and its agencies have fed into this process where appropriate and will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: The Deputy is right. In my role as Minister for Rural and Community Development, community is probably the most important aspect. We have a number of community schemes. The Deputy is quite correct. A lot of people are employed in some of these community schemes and they are very important. That is why we have targeted all the schemes that we have such as the outdoor recreation scheme,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: That is why last month my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, announced that the EU Commission has agreed a tenfold increase in the rescue and restructuring scheme budget from €20 million to €200 million. The Minister, Deputy Creed, is having negotiations with Brussels on a regular basis and Commissioner Hogan has said that the EU is ready to respond if there is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes Data (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a total budget of €250 million over the period 2014-20.  Some €220 million of this funding has been allocated to the local action groups, LAGs, for project and administration costs. The remaining €30 million is available for schemes to be delivered at a national level and is allocated as projects are approved. A total of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes Data (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: I agree with the Deputy. I have done everything possible to make changes in order to make it simpler for people, in particular those in the LEADER companies, to administer the scheme. Since I came into office, I have made more than 32 changes. The Deputy is correct that the inconsistency around the country is unbelievable. Yesterday, when I was going through these questions, I looked at...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: LEADER Programmes Data (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: No, I cannot give that guarantee. What I can guarantee is that I am putting pressure on the LEADER companies. As the Deputy knows, given we have LEADER programmes in our county, I can only do so much. With regard to administration costs, these people are getting paid to do the job. To be fair, there are LEADER companies doing very well under the scheme. When I look at this, I see that...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tidy Towns Committees Funding (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: The TidyTowns competition was originally launched by Fáilte Ireland over 60 years ago.  Since its inception, the competition has grown from 52 entrants in 1958, to 883 entrants in 2018.  The continued success of the competition is due to the countless hours of effort from TidyTowns Committees the length and breadth of the country. As Minister for Rural and Community...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Programme Funding (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: As Minister with responsibility for Rural and Community Development I am acutely aware of the issues faced by some communities and groups in applying for funding due to capacity issues and the administrative burden associated with the process. To address this issue, my Department provides support and guidance through for example, the ‘Rural Opportunity'information sessions...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: As the Deputy will be aware, the CLÁR programme supports communities in rural areas which have experienced significant levels of depopulation.  I reopened the programme in 2016, following its closure in 2010 for new applications.  The areas included in the CLÁR programme since 2016 were based on an analysis of the 2002 Census data by the NIRSA Institute at Maynooth...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: It would not be appropriate for me to give a view at this time on the merits or otherwise of any individual project which may seek funding in the future. I am considering what the focus of the second call for funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund should be and I hope to make an announcement on this shortly. In advance of any announcement I am carefully...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: The first call for applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund closed in September 2018 . There were 280 applications received, 126 of which were Category 1 “shovel ready” projects while 154 related to Category 2 projects - those which needed development funding to become potential Category 1 applications in future calls for applications.   My...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Enhancement Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: Last week I launched the 2019 Community Enhancement Programme with funding of €4.5m. The programme provides capital grants to community groups to help them to develop facilities in disadvantaged areas.  The amounts allocated to each Local Authority area for 2019 are available on my Department’s website. The programme is administered in each area by Local Community...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: The Action Plan for Rural Development includes a range of measures for delivery across a number of Government Departments and Local Authorities to support the revitalisation of rural towns and villages.   The Town and Village Renewal Scheme, which is administered by my Department, is a key part of the package of supports.  The scheme was first introduced in the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructure projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. The programme was closed for new applications in 2010.  However I re-launched CLÁR in 2016, and since then more than 1,200 projects have benefited from funding of €25 million under the programme. I launched the 2019...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: The Community Services Programme, or CSP, supports around 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model.  Funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.  More than €46 million is available under the programme in 2019.  Between part-time and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 93, 100 and 101 together. The first call for applications for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund closed at the end of September.  There were 280 applications received.  126 applications were Category 1 “shovel ready” projects while 154 related to Category 2 projects - those which needed development funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (3 Apr 2019)

Michael Ring: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme forms an important part of the Action Plan for Rural Development and has the potential to stimulate economic recovery and job creation in communities across rural Ireland. The scheme is specifically focused on rural towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 people. Since its introduction in 2016, almost €53 million has been...